Mind over Matter
by KidatHeart5
Summary: One fateful night, Double D watches "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" with his friends. He never imagined he would soon come face-to-face with the fearsome Separatist General Grievous! They find themselves in a world not their own and must cooperate if they are to ever return to their lives! This is a three-way crossover in which Double D and Grievous venture through "Danger by Design"!
1. Prologue

"Come on, Sockhead!" Eddy shouted. "Hurry up!"

"Eddy, you know it's never easy to prepare for a TV show-themed sleepover," Double D replied. "There's the movie theater, the sleeping bags, and of course the DVD." Eddy practically drooled when he saw the DVD in its transparent case. He nodded, "Yeah, I'm just glad Ol' Shovel Chin gave it to us, since we're friends now." He grabbed for the DVD, but Double D pulled it away from him. "Actually," he clarified, "this belongs to his _cousin_. Also, Kevin finds the whole 'friend' thing questionable, which is why he _lent_ it to me in the first place."

He looked at the disc with a red-haired man with a beard on it. He had cream clothing on with white armor on his collarbone, shoulder, and arm. The background was white and most of the wording was red. Double D said, "I just can't understand what makes this particular TV series so special. After all, it is just science fiction."

Eddy cried, "Just science fiction?! Double D, we're talking about one of the greatest movie series in the world! Or the universe, for that matter." "Yes, but I don't see the point in making a big hubbub about it," Double D said. Eddy pulled him close to him and explained, "Of course you need to make a big hubbub about it. This is _Star Wars_, for crying out loud!" He pointed to the DVD and continued, "This is _The Clone Wars_ we're going to be watching! Hello? Now, come on! I want to see the big battles and lightsabers whooshing." As Eddy raced off making whooshing sounds, Double D followed him and said, "All right. If you say so, Eddy."

Double D placed the DVD in the player and turned on the projector. He got down on his sleeping bag alongside his friends. They were in the same tent they used for the cinema scam before Ed crashed it with his bad mood. Ed and Eddy were, of course, ecstatic. Double D found this evident by the way they fidgeted excitedly. He wondered what it was it about this _Star Wars _TV show that got them all revved up, so he decided he should watch it with them…just to see.

The Eds munched on the popcorn as the beginning title rolled on and the music was playing. They watched the Geonosis arc as Ed pointed out key details of each episode. Double D had special regard only for the fortune cookies, the technology, and the battles. Truthfully, he was kind of disturbed by the brainworms, but he certainly didn't show it. He did find most of the episode arc fascinating, but there were many elements he didn't understand. Whenever the credits rolled, he took a peek at his Nancy Drew book that he borrowed from the library.

He wanted to retire early after they watched "Brain Invaders", but his friends insisted that he would watch two more episodes with them. Double D, of course, relented. But what he saw in the next two episodes would be of valuable information for what was going to happen shortly afterwards.

After he read the fortune cookie, the newsreel had completely caught his attention. It was because of one character who was mentioned in the newsreel of the first episode was brought up again in this newsreel: General Grievous. He was an enigma to Double D. He had a robotic body, yet didn't move like one. He was lurching forward, unlike the rest of the droids. He had only one trait that set him apart from his mechanical soldiers: his baleful golden eyes.

The general's eyes pierced through Double D a bolt of fright, yet the boy genius couldn't help but observe them. They seemed reptilian in origin, but how was this possible when Grievous acted like a human? Double D had seen many aliens and cyborgs, but never one like Grievous, who was so almost completely mechanical yet he still retained his animalistic nature. Double D watched "Grievous Intrigue" with most of interest. There was another thing that disturbed Double D: the droid general's personality. Grievous was very fierce almost to the point of being murderous. Double D pitied the general's very hatred when it came to confronting the Jedi.

He was appalled by his brutal actions as he inflicted suffering on the Jedi Master he captured. There was also his voice, which cut through Double D as if he was shouting at him. Double D became nervous, yet utterly fascinated, with him. He vowed that the next morning, he would research about General Grievous.

After the boys watched "The Deserter", they found it hard to go to sleep. For that, Double D had a solution. He read to them the Nancy Drewbook and his friends fell asleep just like that. It took a while for Double D himself to fall asleep; he found Nancy Drew to be just as fascinating as General Grievous. Just before he drifted off into slumber, Double D wondered, _I bet I could sleuth on General Grievous and see what drove him to such villainy. It would be amazing to actually get to talk to him in person. But he's a fictional character. What are the odds of me…talking to…*yawn*…Grievous…in person?_


	2. First Encounter

Double D lay snugly in the warmth that surrounded him. He didn't even bother to open his eyes until the warm sunlight crept on his eyelids. It was then that he opened his eyes, only to be blinded by this unusually light environment. He blinked for a few moments until his sight readjusted. He gasped when he realized, _Why, this isn't my room! It's certainly not the tent, either! Where am I? _

He got out of bed and looked around this new place. It was a bedroom, but it was painted yellow and blue. It had furniture and a desk in front of a window. He was amazed that this room was very much like his bedroom, only less decorated and colored differently. He went to the side of the room to the left of the window where the desk was stationed. Suddenly, he ran his ankle into something heavy. "Ouch!" he cried as he grabbed his ankle.

He looked down and saw something long and white. He took a closer look and saw that it was also metallic. He found this to be very familiar and slowly realized as he saw that this was a leg. First, he looked to his left and saw a pair of clawed feet, one of which was attached to another leg. He scanned to his right and with widened eyes, he saw that this very figure looked exactly like General Grievous!

At first, he thought that it was something Ed and Eddy put together to startle Double D. "Ha, ha, ha," he sarcastically said. "Very funny, fellows. If this is your idea of a joke..." He suddenly realized that even his friends couldn't have pulled off something as elaborate as this. He hesitantly continued, "_If _this is your idea of a joke."

He closely inspected the Grievous figure and wondered, _This is remarkable craftsmanship! None of my friends, let alone the entire cul-de-sac, could have assembled something like this! Unless…_

Suddenly, the Grievous figure moved slightly and moaned. Thankfully, the figure still had his eyes closed, but it was enough proof for Double D to realize that it was no trick. Before he could gasp, his hands flew to his mouth. He admitted in a whisper, "Yipes! It really _is _him!" He had to whisper to avoid waking Grievous.

He desperately wished that it was a dream, but when he pinched himself, he could still hear and see Grievous's peaceful breaths. He whispered again, "When I thought that I could talk to him in person, I didn't think I would actually get to meet him!" He was, in truth, very terrified with meeting him face-to-face. Grievous was known for his brutal nature and his swift and deadly attacks, not to mention that he could split his arms in four! In that moment, Double D wasn't sure that he really did want to talk to Grievous in fear of provoking him.

He wanted to get out of here before the general woke up. He flew quietly to the door, only to find that it was locked. He almost panicked at the thought of being trapped with a dangerous cyborg. However, he had to muster the courage to speak with Grievous when he did wake up. He gulped as he prepared himself for the worst when he walked to the bed and sat on it. He just had to wait until the general woke up; he didn't have to wait long.

He was startled when Grievous stirred more and more. The general groaned and stretched his limbs. Finally, he opened his eyes. The sight of actually seeing them made Double D's heart drop. All that was there in this young lad was only awe. Grievous, on the other hand, was alarmed that his usual surroundings had changed.

He looked around, convinced that he was relocated to somewhere new, possibly a prison. He was not one to admire the colors and the arrangement of the room. He thought it was some sort of trick or a hologram. He was fully aware that he was very much awake. As he looked around, he saw a very strange boy. He was no one he had ever met before.

He saw this new "person" as a possible threat and lunged at him. He clutched the boy's neck and pinned him to the bed. He demanded, "Who are you, strange being?! Where are we and are you holding me captive?!" Double D was afraid that this might happen, but even with his oxygen supply cut off, he still found the strength to choke out, "I'm Eddward…and like you…I don't even know where we are!" He was hoping Grievous would release him from his grip, but the general still had more questions for him.

He ordered, "Are for the Republic or the Separatists? Are you an ally or an enemy?" Double D began turning purple when he answered, "Neither, actually. Now, can you please let go of me?" Since it was General Grievous he was talking to, he had to be cunning and told him, "I could be…of quite some use yet. I'm no good…to you if I'm…*ack!*…dead!"

This convinced Grievous enough to release him. As the general did let go of him, Double D sprang forward to gasp and cough. Double D gasped, "You have an unusual method of interrogating people. Do you regularly choke most of the life out of your victims?" Grievous pointed his finger and retorted, "At least I didn't kill you. Be grateful for that."

As soon as Double D caught his breath, Grievous remembered what he had said to him of being useful to him. The general reminded him, "How else would I spare your life if you weren't to prove you could help me?" Double D knew that this was the infamous Separatist general he was talking to, so he had to choose his words carefully. He spoke, "Well, to start, we could search around for clues as to who or what brought us here and why." He gestured towards the door and continued, "There's no use going out that way. It's locked, I'm afraid."

Grievous scoffed, "You forget that I can just kick this door down. You do realize how strong I am, do you?" Double D remembered the incident and put his hand on his neck. He replied, "How could I forget?" Grievous went up to the door and lifted his leg. The only strange thing that happened was when his foot made contact with the door, he rebounded into the desk near the window.

It took only a few moments for Grievous gather himself and asked, "What was that? Is there some kind of field on the door?" Double D answered, "I'm not even sure what that was! It's never happened like that before!" Grievous was confused and asked, "What? You've never had doors like that?"

Just then, a folder fell on his faceplate. He took it and looked at it. It read "Case File", to which Grievous told Double D, "I think we have the clue you mentioned earlier." He opened it and a slip of paper fell out. Double D pointed at it and said, "Look! A piece of paper."

Grievous retorted, "Of course I know it's a piece of paper! How stupid do you think I am?" Double D shook his head, "No, no. I didn't mean that way. What I meant was why it was in the case file." He read the following aloud:

"_Both of you have been whisked away from your worlds. If you are to ever get back, you must complete the mystery described in the case file. Failing to do so will result in permanently staying in this world forever. You must not do the following:_

_1.__Commit any crimes, no matter how trivial or serious they are._

_2.__Try to find an alternate means of getting back to your lives_

_3.__Eliminate the being working with you_

_"__Don't worry if you're different from the people you're going to meet; they'll treat you as if you were like them. You and your partner must work together, for both of you may be the other's last hope."_

Double D and Grievous stared at each other until the latter broke the silence by scoffing, "I don't need to rely on a young boy to help me. I can perfectly handle the situation myself." Double D cleared his throat, "If I may, I said I would be of some use to you; that is, if you let me. Furthermore, I'm not a young boy. I am a pre-adolescent with advanced mental capabilities than the rest of my peers."

Grievous only looked at him with indifference and said, "You speak in a complex tongue for someone your age. Don't forget I can understand you." Double D didn't know whether or not to take it as a compliment or insult. Grievous only stood back up and focused his attention back to the case file. Double D decided to look at it as well. Grievous read aloud, "'…work as assistants to Minette, an up and coming American designer…' What kind of species is an 'American'?"

Double D explained, "'American' is how you describe someone from America, a country on Earth, where we are now. The only sentient residents of this planet are humans. We are traveling to Paris, which is the capital city of another country, France." Grievous became silent and spoke with indifference again, "You seem very knowledgeable, boy. Perhaps you will be useful to me as my guide here on Earth."

Double D took being called 'boy' with offense and responded indignantly, "I have a name, you know. It's Eddward." Grievous only glared at him and said, "I will call you whatever I want, _boy_. Don't try to test me." Double D sighed in exasperation. He didn't want anger Grievous to the point that he might kill him. There was another problem: if he used the general's name without asking for it first, Grievous might assume that he was a spy.

To alleviate the tension between them, he asked, "I didn't quite get your name, and we did get off to a rocky start. Would you introduce yourself?" Grievous reluctantly answered, "I'm General Grievous, Supreme Commander of the Droid Armies. You may only refer to me as 'General'." Without any more questions, they continued to read the case file. One interesting tidbit of information made Double D point out, "'…wearing a full face mask all day, every day, even while working'. Hmm…this sounds very familiar, _General_."

Grievous glared at him and shot back, "I'll have you know I'm _very _different from this Minette person. She is only a human while I am a potent general. Does she even command her armies from her base of operations?" Double D remained silent and the general scoffed, "I thought not." Without another word, they read about their real assignment and other essential things to know. When reading about the plus-sized women, Grievous inquired, "Why would Minette make dresses for portly women? They are unattractive unless when expecting."

Double D explained, "Perhaps she is designing dresses for them to boost their morale. With their…figures, they're not very praised in society. These dresses might make them feel good about themselves." Grievous rolled his eyes and groaned. When they looked at the subway map, it was in French. Grievous was somehow given the ability to read English words in Aurebesh; however, he couldn't make out the French words.

He hated admitting this to the young boy, but he pointed to the map and asked, "Surely you could make out these words?" Double D nodded, "Oh, yes. I'm very fluent in French." Grievous said, "I thought Earth had only one language: Basic. Why does it need another?" Double D looked at him in confusion, but soon understood what he meant.

He explained, "We do widely speak English, a form of your Basic, but there are languages in other countries. It helps to understand them so you can communicate with the residents of one country." The general said, "I am bilingual, as well. The people of my planet speak in Basic and the native language." Grievous omitted the name and species of his people in the case the boy should betray him.

Double D chose not to ask about his planet, for he knew better than that. He looked around the room and asked, "So, how are we going to get to Paris?" Just then, a big hole appeared under their feet and grew to completely encircle the general and boy genius. Grievous answered, "I think we have our answer." They screamed as they fell into the blackness.

**_Author's Note: As for Grievous's comment about plus-sized women, I mean no offense. I just thought that it would be what he would say. I hope Double D's explanation would make up for it. Otherwise, I apologize if it was insulting._**


	3. At the Moulin

It took only a few moments before they landed in some green. When they emerged, Grievous shouted, "Whoever it was who created that portal has got another thing coming!" Double D poked out of the brush, looked around, and said, "Well, at least we're here." Grievous followed the boy's gaze and looked at the environment. There was civilization some miles from where they were and the rest was all countryside. He looked up to see the big windmill with the neon M on its right. He said, "I believe this is it."

They both got up and walked towards the blue door. Double D noticed that Grievous looked at it uneasily. He asked, "What's the matter?" The general replied, "Everything here is not as technologically advanced as I thought. It's so…primitive." Double D nodded, "Maybe, or the residents in your galaxy are much ahead of our time." Grievous said, "I can accept that as a compliment."

Grievous looked at the doorknob, never having seen anything like this before. Double D explained, "You turn it." Grievous, feeling indignant, glared at him. He touched the doorknob and turned it. As Grievous opened the door slowly, Double D said to the empty space, "Hello?" They were soon startled by a furious scream. They turned their eyes to the open door on the other side of the room.

"I said, don't come near me!" a voice ordered. "No, Minette! Don't!" another voice pleaded. Suddenly, a potted plant flew out the door and broke against the tapestry with blue borders. Double D had to shield himself from the impact. In the next instant, a bespectacled girl with a tie on her pink shirt came out into the room.

The voice shouted to her, "Stay back! You hear me! Stay back!" As the voice continued to scream in rage, the girl closed the door behind her. She looked up to see Grievous and Double D and asked, "_Bonjour, vous êstes_… I mean, are you Grievous and Eddward?" Double D answered hesitantly, "Uh, yeah?"

The girl introduced herself, "I'm Heather McKay. Welcome! I'm so glad you're both here. How was your flight?" Double D and Grievous looked at each other because they knew they didn't exactly fly here. Grievous lied, "It was…quite a ride." Double D added, "The airline lost our suitcases, so we don't have our essentials or cell phones."

Grievous was confused, but he didn't ask questions because his attention was directed towards the screaming. He knew what kind it was because he had felt that kind of rage before. Still being curious, he asked Heather, "What's going in there? Has something shocking happened?" She replied, "That's just Minette, throwing one of her tantrums. Don't worry. She'll stop screaming right…now."

As soon as the screaming stopped, Heather ushered the two to her desk. She asked, "They lost your suitcases? That's terrible. Well, at least you're staying with Jing Jing. She'll have tons of clothes you can borrow." Double D was unsure about this and pointed out, "Heather, they'll be _feminine _clothes."

Grievous, however, didn't pay attention to the conversation at all. He was too busy noticing the sobbing that came from the room where the tantrum happened. He said to Heather, "Repeat yourself. I couldn't hear you with that incessant sobbing." Double D looked at him as if to say, _Grievous! How insensitive! _However, Double D turned back to Heather and said in concern, "Is she all right?"

Heather said, "Oh, you mean, Minette. Don't worry, she's fine. At least, she will be after phase three. Which should begin right about…now." The sobbing suddenly stopped and laughter took its place immediately afterwards.

Grievous commented, "That is a very strange method, if you ask me. Do the people here do it often?" Heather only shrugged in response. When the laughter stopped, Heather explained to them about the process Minette used to restore her positive flux. Grievous said, "Perhaps I could find use of Minette's 'process' to find my vigor, but I will not break down in sobs and tears." Double D thought, _Not with your attitude, you will._

Heather gave them the need-to-knows of the Moulin and working with Minette. She pointed to their work station diagonally from Heather's. Minette soon took noticed of the conversation outside and asked for Grievous and Double D. They went inside Minette's workroom and talked with her. She even began taking special interest in Grievous, seeing how he was a mask wearer like her.

Before sending them away, she requested to have her tea made. After they finished speaking to Minette, Grievous turned to Double D and said, "You will make her tea while I explore the room a little." Double D knew well not to disagree with him, so he obeyed and made the tea. While the boy was making Minette's tea, Grievous looked around the workroom. He noticed the colored glass mannequins and the coffee table with the magazines on it. He took one of the magazines and tried to remember how to open it. He pressed on the cover a few times until he noticed there were pages.

He flipped open the pages until he found an article about Minette. After reading the article, he remarked, "She's a strange woman, indeed." He looked up and saw large gears that were covered in something red. He remembered that he saw a picture of them in the magazine and flipped to the page again. The gears in the picture looked different. They looked…cleaner.

He shifted his gaze towards the gears in the workroom. He walked towards the splattered gears and thought the red coating was dried blood. He wondered if Minette had killed someone in here. But upon closer inspection, he ran his finger through the red coating and found it to be flaky. _This is definitely not blood_, thought Grievous. _This looks more like…paint. Why would Minette throw paint at the gears?_

He asked her about them, but she only deflected his question. Before he could do more investigating, Double D announced that he was done with the tea. Grievous followed Double D outside, but they were soon called back by Minette. She said to them, "The tea is utterly rude. I can feel my creativity flowing again."

As she continued, Double D was still very confused by her use of the word "rude". Did she think it was good or bad? But judging by the way she carried on about it positively, Double D was certain that he made the tea correctly. She then tasked him and Grievous to find four more items that were similar to the ones on the center podium. She was very open-ended about what kind of "stuff" the guys would find. The cyborg and boy looked at the items on the center podium carefully and concluded that they were circular or curved.

Double D noticed that Grievous was containing his laughter until they got out of the workroom. As soon as they did, he was chuckling away. Double D placed his hands on his hips and asked, "What may I ask is so funny?" He replied, "The items she wants are supposed to be round and/or curved. Since she makes dresses for plus-sized women…it's no wonder!"

Double D found this to be very offensive while Grievous laughed at this. He said, "General, it is not humorous to make jokes at someone's figure. What if someone made jokes about you?" Grievous turned to him and responded arrogantly, "They wouldn't dare if they knew who they were dealing with…like you." Double D threw his arms in the air and sighed in exasperation.

He walked over to the office and Grievous stole a glance at the computer screen. What he saw drove him to point at the picture and ask, "What is that supposed to be?" Double D turned to where Grievous was pointing and saw the alien. He answered, "I do believe it's a depiction of an alien." Grievous glared at Double D and the alien drawing in disbelief.

Finally, he shouted, "This is an atrocity! The aliens where I come from do _not _look like this! This is an insult to the non-humans in my home galaxy! Where do I kill this so-called artist?!" Double D stood up and waved his arms in alarm as he cried, "Whoa, whoa, whoa! I would seriously advise against any homicide!

"If you commit any crimes such as that, you might never go home again! You would remain here for the rest of your life! And you do want to get out of here as soon as possible, correct?" Grievous remained silent for a few moments and then groaned as he leaned over the desk, "Why do I even listen to you?" Double D returned his attention to the computer and clicked on the To-Do List icon. Grievous and he went over the list of tasks and they decided to split the four of them amongst themselves. They agreed that Grievous would get the fabric photos and the envelope and Double D would take the fabric photos to Café Kiki and fix the plotter.

Grievous caught a glance at a name he had seen before. He told Double D as he pointed at the name, "Hey, I've seen that name before. He wrote an article I read about Minette in the workroom. Jeen Mitchell Traquanard, I believe?" Double D didn't believe that he had pronounced the name correctly, but he asked, "Really? What did he write about her?"

Grievous explained everything the article said, including Minette's use of the word "rude". He said, "Apparently, it means 'cool' in her terms. She has a bizarre use for the word 'rude'." Double D was agitated and lashed out, "'Bizarre'?! She is misusing the English language! That is not how you use the word 'rude'!"

When he quickly regained control of himself, he realized he had shot off. He covered his mouth and looked at Grievous in horror that it would be his last mistake. Grievous, however, was surprised to see the boy so angry. Grievous said calmly, "Do you release your emotions like this from time to time?" Double D stammered, "Y-y-you're not upset that I yelled like that?"

Grievous chuckled, "You should hear how I yell at the droids. It's much louder than what you projected. For such a small boy, you have ardor to match your wits. I would be much honored to have you alongside me in the war. That is, when you've completed training."

At first, Double D took the first portion of what Grievous said as a compliment, but when the general talked about being in the war with him, he found this to be unnerving. He thought, _I?! In a war?! I could never be caught in the middle of a battle! I don't fight, though I don't know how I'm going to break this to Grievous. _

He remained silent for some moments and then suggested, "How about I start my training with fixing the plotter? I'm sure I would fare well as a strategist." Grievous looked at him in disbelief and said, "You should work on your weak areas; you're bound to master them. In the meantime, I shall run the errands. Where shall I meet you when I have the fabric photos?"

Double D and he agreed to meet at the place that was between Rue du Bac and the Moulin. Before Grievous could leave, a black note slid under the blue door. He asked about it and Heather told him to read it aloud. However, when he did, she realized that it was a threat note. He was told to place it in the Dodo box. He found this to be very odd indeed.

After he placed the note in the box, Grievous asked Heather what kind of stuff Minette wants. She told him that the designer likes curves. Soon after he left, Double D fixed the plotter and did some investigating. When he had finished reading the magazine on the table near Heather's desk, the phone rang. He quickly jumped on it and answered the call. He talked to Lynn Manrique, who was doing research on the original owner of the Moulin: Noisette Tornade.

He found her research to be interesting, but he had to decline her contact with Minette. After he had hung up, he wondered what could've been interesting about the windmill that prompted Tornade to own it…and for Minette to use it. A question popped into Double D's head: what purpose did Minette have for using the Moulin?


	4. Roaming around Paris

While Double D was working at the Moulin, Grievous made his way to Rue du Bac. He soon met Dieter von Schwesterkrank, who had not developed the fabric photos yet. He tasked Grievous with developing them and told him to study the manual first. The cyborg almost cursed under his breath as he grabbed the binder. As he flipped open the pages, he read the process. He groaned that it was going to take long.

However, before he could put the binder back on the shelf, a piece of paper fell out. Grievous picked it up as he thought, _This must be the second one today. I hope that this might tell me about a shorter way to develop the photos. _He was elated to learn that this was indeed a shortcut to developing photos. Although he did find the method odd, he was more than willing to try it.

When Grievous went into the dark room, he was stunned by how much equipment (and chemicals) was there. Fortunately, he remembered the shortcut on the piece of paper. First, he put a film in the top part of the enlarger. After doing so, he turned to the toilet and flushed it ten times precisely. He found this to be a bit disturbing, but when he turned to the set-up, he found an envelope of fabric photos! He knew that no one else came into the dark room with him, but he was relieved that the photos were all developed.

Before he left the room, Grievous almost stumbled on something. He looked down and saw a strange pod-like thing. It was blue and was studded in gold lines and dots. He had never seen anything like it before, so he knew to ask Double D when he gave him the photos. After he exited the room, he spoke with Dieter, only to learn startling information: he and Minette used to date. Grievous chuckled, "You and Minette? How can you deal with someone as erratic and unpredictable as her?"

Dieter told him all about his love life with Minette until she broke it off. Grievous truly had no sympathy for him and continued their conversation on other topics. After he finished talking with Herr Schwesterkrank, the general explored the room and asked about the camera. This was the third piece of technology Grievous had seen since he first woke up. Though it wasn't as sophisticated as the tech back in his galaxy, he would have to make do with the tech here on Earth. Dieter permitted him to use the camera, and for that, the cyborg was thankful.

He left Rue du Bac to rendezvous with Double D at the agreed-upon place. He didn't have to wait long for the boy, but he was quite impatient all the same. As soon as Double D arrived, Grievous asked, "What took you so long, boy?" "I'm very sorry, General," he responded in an apathetic tone when he was called "boy" again. He continued, "I had some investigating to do." When Grievous gave him the photos, Double D couldn't help but ask, "No offense, but why can't you deliver the photos yourself?" Grievous reluctantly answered, "When it comes to my appearance, I'm afraid being in public isn't really my strong suit."

Double D understood what he meant and left it at that. Before they continued with their other tasks, Grievous showed him the decorated pod. Double D replied, "This looks like an Easter egg. It's not around that time of year yet. Where did you find this?" The cyborg explained about the shortcut and how he found the egg after the photos were developed. The boy found this to be very odd, but he asked no further questions.

With nothing more to say, each left for their next destinations: Double D to Café Kiki and Grievous to Place Monge.

The pre-adolescent boy arrived at Café Kiki. He soon met Jean Michel Traquenard and gave him the envelope. They discussed about Hugo Butterly, the man Double D read about in an article, and the world of fashion. Double D also thought it was nice of Traquenard to order something for them. He found the French cuisine to be divine, with the exception of the frog legs. He couldn't help but pity Grievous for not socializing like this. He thought what a lonely being the general must've been due to his appearance.

Grievous reached Place Monge and thought, _This is might be a homely place to stay during our time in Paris. _However, when he opened the door to the apartment, he was taken aback by the woman in the kitchen. She had a wide girth, but also had a skinny face. He thought in disbelief, _This is Jing Jing? _When she saw him, she urged him to come in.

She introduced herself by her nickname "JJ" and explained that she was mixing cookies. Grievous asked, "Why would you want to be…fuller?" She explained that she was under contract to be a fitting model. Since Minette wanted plus-sized models, JJ had to gain weight to reach the ideal dress size for modeling her dresses. Grievous found the idea to be absurd and remarked, "If a woman is fine the way she is, then why would she exchange it for a figure that's unattractive?"

If JJ was offended, she didn't show it. However, she didn't let a remark like that undermine her. She challenged Grievous to get on a scale to prove that he was no lighter than she was. Although Grievous thought it was ridiculous, he wasn't going to turn a challenge down. He went to the bathroom, found the scale, and stood on it. Suddenly, it broke beneath him. He was embarrassed and irritated when he went back out into the kitchen.

JJ asked, "So, how much did you weigh?" Grievous didn't answer and turned his head away from her. When JJ insisted, he grumbled, "The scale broke. Are you satisfied?" JJ exclaimed, "Whoa! You must've been heavy!"

Grievous slammed his fist on the table and ordered, "I don't want to hear anything more about this! And for your sake, you better not let this slip from your lips!" He reached his hand out and continued, "Now, the envelope." JJ gave him the envelope as she said, "Alright, alright. No need to get upset about this. I won't tell a soul. But I will tell you this: there's no use going back to the Moulin now."

He grew alarmed by this, but his tone hadn't changed when he asked, "And why may I ask not?" She answered, "It's getting dark out. Your little buddy is sure to come here soon." Though Grievous didn't correct her on the "buddy" thing, he knew that his trust was only in the boy, even if he gave it little by little.

**_Author's Note: Yes, the shortcut Grievous uses is an actual cheat in the game! For some of those who may not know, a cheat is a kind of shortcut you use in case you want to shorten a puzzle. You can actually get an Easter egg, found in the Nancy Drew games, by doing this cheat. Also, did you like how JJ got the upper hand on Grievous for his opinion about heavy women? I thought that breaking the scale would be funny. _**


	5. Respect

Double D went to Place Monge as soon as night was falling. He, too, found it to be homely. He was surprised to see Grievous there. He asked, "Didn't you deliver the envelope to the Moulin?" "It was getting dark," he answered, "so I couldn't."

"Why not deliver it in the morning?" JJ suggested. "I'm sure that would be easier for the both of you." As she left the room, Grievous and Double D sat on the table. "So, did you find out much information on your errands?" the cyborg asked. Double D explained about reading up on what the general read and the other magazine. He also told him about Traquenard and the rumors.

As soon as he mentioned the food, Grievous sighed, "I envy you." However, immediately after he said this, his own stomach rumbled. Grievous placed a hand the lower half of his chest plate and added, "I think my stomach envies you, too." Double D dared to ask, "How can you eat if you have your mask on? Don't you take it off?"

Grievous sighed, "That's my problem. I have a feeding tube that connects to my gut sack and has a liquid that breaks down the food to make it small enough to travel into my gut sack. If I don't have my feeding tube, I'll risk starving." At this, his stomach growled again. Double D sought a solution to this and said, "I bet I can create a substitute for your feeding tube."

As the boy grabbed a notebook and pencil from a drawer chest, the cyborg asked, "Just how will you make another feeding tube for me? My tube is more technologically advanced than yours." To that, Double D responded, "Never underestimated the power of science." He sat back down and asked Grievous for a description and details of his feeding tube. He also asked him what would make acceptable foods to eat and what kind of acid he should use. With enough information, Double D set to work.

With permission from JJ, he found the necessary items that would be used for Grievous's substitute feeding tube. He used lemon juice and water for the acid, an empty can for the cylinder, a spare piping bag for breaking the food down, and a small tube with an open cap roughly the size of the hole on Grievous's side. He made sure there was no air in the can, the tube, or the bag. Finally, when dinner was ready, Double D and the general tested the feeding tube. This seemed to satisfy Grievous immensely and he said to Double D, "Even though I can't taste the food, I certainly can thank you for keeping me nourished. No one has helped me in a long time, and for that, I am grateful…Eddward."

Double D's heart swelled with joy when he heard Grievous use his name. He forgot himself when he asked, "Do you think I can refer to you as…?" Grievous nodded, "Yes, you may refer to me as 'Grievous', but don't think I'll be going easy on you." Double D said, "Of course not." The cyborg pointed at JJ and threatened, "Don't say a word about this." She promised, "Don't worry. I won't."

After dinner, Double D took his shower. Grievous, on the other hand, had to use cleaning agents to clean his armor. As a precaution, he put a breathing mask over his vocabulator to avoid breathing in the chemicals. Double D was surprised that when the cyborg emerged from the bathroom, Grievous's eyes were filled with tears. As the general removed his breathing mask, Double D asked, "Grievous, are you okay?" Grievous responded as he dabbed his eyes with a tissue, "I'm fine. The odor of the Earth chemicals stung my eyes."

Double D sympathized for him and said, "I guess you're not used to the cleaning agents here, no offense." While Grievous continued to wipe his eyes, he said, "I have invaded a lot of planets, but Earth is a new place for me. I hate to admit this, but if it weren't for you, I would've been lost here." The boy had expected the general to thank him, but he knew it was unlikely. Just the fact that Grievous was using his name was thanks enough.

Before they retired for the night, Grievous and Double D filled each other in on what information they gathered from their errands. The general then asked about Easter. Since Double D knew that Grievous wasn't going to understand the religious meaning behind it, he explained, "It's a holiday in which kids get baskets of gifts and candy. They also find decorated eggs that are hidden in places." Grievous was confused and asked, "Why would the eggs be laid in such strange areas?" Double D only chuckled.

The boy then asked about Grievous's cybernetics. The cyborg grew wary and asked, "Why do you want to know about my metallic body?" The boy genius replied that he was curious about how the general functioned with as much mechanics as he did. Double D was very impressed by how he was able to maneuver his cybernetic body. Grievous told him that he would only tell him a little about it the next morning. The cyborg was cautious as to not give away too much information about himself. Still, he wondered if the boy was to be trusted at all.

Grievous insisted that he lied on the floor while Double D slept on the bed. The general knew that the bed would not be fit for his body. Double D sought to remedy this by creating a pillow fit for him while he slept on the floor. Grievous didn't know how to react to such kindness. Ever since he became a cyborg, he had almost forgotten what kindness was. However, he wanted to keep his guard up in case Double D ever betrayed him or attempted to kill him. Just then, Grievous had a plan on how to test the boy's trust.

With his mind brewing, he said nothing to Double D and drifted off to sleep.


	6. Trusting Each Other

The next morning, Grievous and Double D found a newspaper about the mint shortage. Double D cried, "Oh, my! This is terrible!" Grievous asked, "Is Paris under a siege?" Double D gave him a discontented look.

After breakfast, Grievous asked, "So, where to next, Eddward?" Double D replied, "Well, we've yet to retrieve the 'stuff' Minette requires. So we're going to Square Du Vert Galant at Port Neuf." Grievous placed a hand on the side of his faceplate and sighed, "I'm glad you're the one fluent in French." Double D smiled in response.

At the park, Grievous opted to carry the basket. Though he thought this was curious, Double D knew not to ask any questions. They looked all around the beautiful surroundings and Grievous remarked, "Everything is so peaceful. It makes me restless. Perhaps I have forgotten what it was like because it was so long ago."

Double D asked, "Is it because you've been engaged in war for a long time?" Grievous answered, "For almost my whole life, I have fought in battles, invaded different planets, and brought victory to the side I was fighting for." Double D asked with widened eyes, "Have you been fighting in the war for that long?" Grievous shook his head, "No, not just _one _war. I have participated in _many _wars before the Clone Wars."

The boy grew confused. Had his galaxy been at war many times before the Clone Wars? That couldn't be right, so Double D asked Grievous, "What kind of wars have you been in?" Grievous knew this was bordering on personal information, but as long as he only mentioned the important details, he would not risk betraying himself to the boy. He answered, "Before I engaged in the Clone Wars, my people and I have fought many personal wars with other tribes on my planet and even those living on the planets closest to ours. We have a tradition which calls for fighting with honor. We have a bloodlust that must be quenched; we don't know how to satisfy it any other way."

Double D was disturbed to learn that his people shared a love for war like him. He didn't know how to convince him of otherwise without endangering himself. Eventually, he decided that for his own sake, he was going to let it be. He was just glad to be on the general's good graces. He only replied, "My, sounds to me like you and your people have a…remarkable tradition of earning honor." Grievous replied proudly, "Yes, and I am compelled to keep it going by winning the war."

They came up to a statue of a cross and Double D translated, "'In memory of the French fighters'." Grievous was surprised by this and asked, "Do the people here fight in wars? I thought they were a peaceful people." Double D explained, "Yes, we do fight in wars on Earth. We haven't met anyone beyond here to get into conflict with." The cyborg asked, "Do the inhabitants have a tradition of fighting?" The boy replied, "Well, they usually fight over disagreements and crimes, but not for honor."

Grievous was displeased with this, but decided to let it be. He only responded, "This is a very strange world. I'm glad I won't be residing here permanently." Double D nodded his head, vouching for that. Their first stop in the park was Malika's booth. Grievous found interest in the array of items there, but he knew that he had to stick to the task. He relied on Double D to be purchase savvy.

From Malika, he bought the green rings.

Next, they went to a man named Marchand. Double D bought the blue film canister from him. When Marchand suggested making extra money by painting reproductions, Grievous left that to Double D, since he himself had no interest in art. While Double D painted, he decided to check out the mouth statue. When he moved the lever, a mouth began making a strange sound. When he turned the lever in hopes of turning it off, more mouths began to join the first mouth. Grievous grumbled, "How do you turn this thing off?"

He kept turning the lever until, out of exasperation, he hit the statue. He was quite surprised that the mouths became silent. He sighed with relief as he turned to view the windmill statue. He was amazed to see the colors of the rainbow on a giant pinwheel. He turned the lever and saw the pinwheel spin clockwise. He continued to spin it until he tired of it.

He proceeded to the fish water fountain. He found it to be strange, but nonetheless took interest in it. He pressed the button and water shot out of its mouth as its eyes lit up. When he heard Double D call him, he went to him. They walked to Monique's booth and bought the lava lamp and the orange cone.

As they left the park, Double D asked to check if the items they bought (well, _he_ bought) matched Minette's criteria. Grievous suggested that he would check for the both of them, for he had hidden something in the basket. Double D asked, "What will it take for you to trust me?" Grievous smirked, "I do know of one test." In that moment, Double D knew it couldn't be good.

Outside the Moulin, Double D had his back against the wall. Grievous had taken out the knife he had hidden in the basket. Double D asked, "What kind of test is this?!" Grievous explained while he rotated the knife in his hand, "It's very simple, Eddward. This is a test to see whether you can be trusted or not. I will throw this knife and if I miss, you're trustworthy. If you aren't…well, I'm afraid you'll be gone in that instant."

Double D cried, "But the note in the case file specifically stated that you weren't allowed to eliminate your associate!" Grievous shrugged, "Not if I trust you." Double D demanded in a panic-stricken tone, "Well, which is it?!" The cyborg prepped himself as he responded, "Only one way to find out!" He threw his left arm back and spun the knife at blinding speed. Double D closed his eyes as he thought, _Oh, dear…_

After a few seconds, Grievous closed his eyes and threw the knife.

_THUD!_

Double D wasn't sure if he had been hit. He wasn't even sure if he was enduring a slow or quick death. He slowly opened his eyes and looked down first. He saw no sign of the knife; to that, he was relieved. Finally, he looked up and saw the knife…just a centimeter from his hat!

He was astonished and remarked, "Incredible marksmanship! Is that where you were aiming all along?" Grievous answered, "I had no idea. I just let my instinct guide me. If you were even the least bit double-crossing, I might have killed you."

At this revelation, Double D became stunned and stammered, "What?" When he thought about what might've happened otherwise, he swooned and fainted. Grievous walked to the wall and pulled the knife out, leaving a big crack. He chuckled as he looked at Double D, "He may be a bit weak, but he's trustworthy."


	7. Identity Crisis

As soon as Grievous woke Double D up, they went inside the Moulin. Double D told Grievous to hide the knife in the basket and then in one of the drawers before they showed the items to Minette. Before they could act on this plan, the phone rang. Double D ran to it and answered it. He spoke with Prudence Rutherford and agreed to create her seasonal ensembles. Grievous and Double D looked over the book at the drafts table and the former suggested, "Why don't I take the items to Minette while you work on…whatever it is Rutherford wants you to do?"

The general was about to enter Minette's workroom when Heather said that the designer was too busy playing her computer games. He did not want to wait until she was done, so after he put the knife in the drawer, he asked Double D for advice. The boy suggested, "Does Minette have a kind of password to play her games? I bet you can use that to win the game and trick her into believing she won. That way, she won't be preoccupied with it."

Grievous didn't know Minette's password, but he did remember that Double D told him that he found some notes that belonged to her last assistant. He thought, _Maybe that would give me a clue. _He opened a drawer and looked at the notes. He found a doodle of a computer monitor with the words 'Carol' and 'rude' in it. Grievous shook his head and thought, _You are a very strange person indeed, Minette. _

He sat at the computer and the chair nearly gave way under him. He opened up the game portal and entered the username and password. He looked at the game and guessed, "If I were Minette, I would play 'Model Match'." He clicked the question mark beside the title out of curiosity and found the rules that would help him play the game. He found this to be unusual, but he went along with it.

After playing the game a few times, he was frustrated that he didn't win. He pounded his fist on the desk and tried playing it for another round. Fortunately, he had gotten the hang of it and with excellent hand-eye coordination, he won! As expected, Minette shouted over the intercom that she won the game. Heather praised him for fooling Minette, and after he gave her JJ's envelope, he entered the workroom with the basket.

He showed her the items and she was very pleased with them. It was then Grievous asked, "Why do you wear that mask?" Minette looked up and told him, "This mask is a statement, Grievous. It's my way of telling society that it pays far too much attention to the face. I design clothes for the person.

"I'm telling society, 'Forget the face. Look at the person. Look at my creations. The colors, the fabrics, the lines I choose'. They are meant to enhance the person, not the face. The person. The face is…inconsequential.

"Being a fellow mask wearer yourself, you should know this." This made Grievous self-conscious of himself. Yes, he had worn his father's mask, his own mask, and now this one. This mask was almost like a part of him now that he was a cyborg. He wanted to prove himself to the galaxy. He wanted to show that he was a powerful force to be reckoned with.

However, there was a stroke of doubt within him. Given his appearance, he was a monster in the public eye. He was ruthless, sure, but he had to in a time of war. Yet, what of now? What would people think of him in times of peace? He didn't think he could ever go back home without his people turning away from him.

Where would he go? The only place he would ever feel like home after the war was his lair. But now with his pet dead, his caretaker droid would be the only other inhabitant. The possibility of remaining in his lair was only if he would survive the Clone Wars. With his emotions at conflict, Grievous left the workroom in silence.

Double D was the first one to sense a change in Grievous. He noticed that the general had become unusually silent since he went in the workroom. The boy could feel that Grievous was disturbed about something. He didn't want to ask if he didn't need to. However, he still wished he could do something to help him.

Suddenly, Minette paged Heather and demanded that JJ would be brought here. The assistant asked the guys to bring Ling for a fitting; to that, Double D agreed. Just before he exited the Moulin, he turned to Grievous, who was hunched over their work station. The boy asked him, "Are you coming, General?" He had referred to him as that because he wanted to be careful when Grievous was in a mood like this. Without a word, Grievous rose up and followed Double D to Place Monge.

When they arrived, JJ invited the guys to play hangman with her. Grievous declined by waving his hand; Double D, on the other hand, accepted. While the cyborg sat down and bent over, Double D played hangman with JJ. When they were done, he told her that Minette practically screamed for her to come to the Moulin. She, however, denied him by telling that she had cookies to bake. Double D then struck a deal with her: if he made the mint chocolate chip cookies for her, she would go to the Moulin. JJ agreed and left the guys to their own devices.

Double D turned to Grievous and asked, "Are you alright, General? You haven't spoken a word since you gave Minette the items. Do you want to help me bake the cookies?" To this, Grievous sighed and replied in a low voice, "No, Eddward." Double D, full of pity for the general, left it at that and walked to the kitchen table.

He noticed that there was no brown sugar and the mint was moldy. He searched in the pantry cabinet and found molasses. All the cooking classes he had taken taught him that molasses would substitute for brown sugar. Oddly enough, he found electrical engineering books in there as well. He wondered aloud, "What could books such as these be doing in here?" As for the mint, he resolved to go to the park and find it or something else that could help him bake the cookies.

Before he left, he asked Grievous, "Are you sure you don't want to come with me to find some mint?" Grievous answered, "No, I'll be fine remaining here." Without another word, Double D closed the door behind him. After he was sure that the boy was gone, Grievous stood up and went to the bathroom. He wanted to look at himself and see if Minette's statement rang true.

He looked around to see if no one was watching and took the opportunity to peek into the mirror. What he saw shocked him. It had been a long time since he last saw his reflection. He hardly remembered what he looked like…or used to look like. He was now this cybernetic enhancement of his former self. He thought if he made improvements on himself, he could be stronger and better than any Jedi.

Recently, he had been failing in battle. He felt as if he lost his vigor and he always tried to prove himself again and again. Suddenly, a dreadful revelation crossed his mind: he couldn't remember who he once was. He tried to bring an image of his past self to his mind, to no avail. He looked at his metal body and realized how much mechanical he had become. Was he so much less a being that he was just another drone in the droid armies?

Grievous had repeated over and over again that he was not a droid. However, he knew that all of his own self that he had left were his brain and vital organs. He touched his arms and legs to feel…nothing. There was no nerve in these limbs, much less the armor that covered any organic remnants of his body. It was then he feared that he was becoming more machine than man. He looked at himself again and realized that he had his eyes: all that reminded him of his former life.

He put his hands on the faceplate and tried to take it off. Alas, it firmly stuck in place. If he had his doctor droid here, he would ask him to take it off so he could see whatever of his face he had left. And yet, why bother? He knew that his faceplate was as much part of him as the rest of his cybernetic body was now. He didn't feel like his former self and felt as if he lost that part of him now. He felt that along with his past identity, he had also lost his drive, his warrior spirit, his…humanity.

He was nothing now if not himself. He was supposed to be General Grievous, leader of the Separatist droid armies and avatar of fear. But now, just by looking at himself…he saw someone different. He was less proud of himself than he was yesterday. He knew that he was being called a monster. It didn't sting before, but why did it matter now?

Minette's voice crept into his mind again, _This mask is a statement, Grievous. _He still kept the bloodlust that he had in the past and the desire for vengeance upon his enemies. He was still very much himself, but at the same time, he didn't even remember who he was. How was he supposed to charge into battle with a rigorous spirit if it was breaking right now?

All that pain he had kept within was rising up in a way that he hadn't felt in a long time. It felt sick, demoralizing, and heavy. It wracked the gut sack like the synthskin that surrounded it was about to break. He grabbed his chest plate and tried to soften the pain. That's when all those memories emerged. Memories of the countless battles he fought, the chanting of his name, and the organic armies he led were playing through his mind. But one memory in particular disturbed Grievous greatly: the last time he saw his family before…

He couldn't bear to reveal himself to them now; they wouldn't remember that it was even him. The possibility of his family abandoning him in light of this identity overwhelmed him. He couldn't take this newfound sorrow any more and had to let it out in some way. He sunk to the floor as a lump in his throat began to rise. For the first time since he could remember, Grievous let himself weep. He didn't do this often, but he found it shameful and relieving at the same time. He felt that shedding tears alleviated his emotional burden yet deepened it.

He would've gone on weeping had it not been for the constricting of his lungs that resulted in coughing. As he regained his breath, he saw that the tears he had shed formed a small puddle with some others splattered around it. In that instant, he grabbed a nearby towel and wiped the puddle from the floor. He then proceeded to throw it in the wastebasket. He rose from the floor and saw the tear streaks on his eyelids and his faceplate. He knew that he couldn't let Double D see this and know that he cried. He had his dignity to think about.

He went out into the area next to the kitchen and grabbed some tissues from the tissue box. He wiped the tear streaks away and threw the wet tissue away in the nearby wastebasket. He thought, _There. Now no evidence remains of my weak moment._ Still, he was troubled by what Minette said, though it seemed less now than it did a while ago.

Double D came back with a book about food substitution and some mint, taken from the crème de glace he ordered at Café Kiki. He found Grievous still sitting at the table, but now he was reading the Utne magazine. Double D took this as a good sign and said, "My, you're feeling better than when I last saw you." Grievous pointed to the article and said, "This particular article is interesting. Did you know the people here buried their dead underground? They call those places 'catacombs'."

The boy genius smiled, even though he already knew this piece of information. He asked the general as he went to the kitchen table, "Would you like to help me bake cookies?" Grievous scoffed, "Why would I want to engage in something as trivial as baking cookies?" Double D shrugged and began baking cookies. He followed the recipe to the letter and when the cookies' edges turned up, he was glad he made them correctly.

Almost immediately after the cookies were placed on a rack, the phone rang. Double D picked it up and told JJ that he made the cookies. When she asked what made them different from other cookies, he answered that the edges turned up. JJ was happy and stated that she would be going to the Moulin. Double D was relieved as well, for when he hung up the phone, he sighed contently.

Grievous asked, "I trust everything went well with Ling?" Double D replied, "Very." Just then, he felt the need to go. Double D said, "Excuse me for one moment." When he went to the bathroom, he noticed something was strange about the wastebasket. He took a peek inside and saw a towel.

He thought, _How odd. Towels this new and fresh shouldn't be in the trash. _He grimaced as he pulled it out of the wastebasket. Thankfully, it wasn't too dirty, save for the interesting spot of light yellow wetness. At first, he thought it was urine, but upon closer inspection…


End file.
